1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to video gaming machines and more particularly to video gaming machines with an improved design to improve player comfort, configured with a footprint to optimize the number of gaming machines in a given area on a casino floor or other gambling facility.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Two major configurations of gaming machines are known; so-called upright and slant-top machines. Upright machines, for example, as disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,397, include a generally rectangular housing having a video display that is generally perpendicular to a horizontal datum. The front of the housing carries one or more vertical displays as well as game controls on an upper portion of the housing. An access door is provided on a bottom portion, just beneath the vertical displays. The access door provides a portal to the interior of the machine for maintenance and repair.
Such upright machines provide several advantages. First, the vertical displays on the upright machines are visible to players as they enter the gaming floor and thus have the ability to attract more players. Secondly, such upright machines have a relatively smaller footprint than slant-top machines, thus enabling more gaming machines to be placed in a given area on a casino floor. However, there is one serious drawback to such upright machines. That drawback relates to player comfort. As mentioned above, such upright gaming machines include a vertical display. Attention to the vertical display for relatively long periods of time can result in player discomfort. As such, players have a tendency to not play such upright gaming machines for relatively long periods of time.
In order to improve player comfort, slant-type machines have been developed. An example of such a slant-type machines is disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,231. Such slant-type machines generally include a generally rectangular housing with a relatively large footprint with a playing surface that is angled at an acute angle relative to a horizontal datum. Even though the configuration of such slant-type machines improves player comfort, such slant-top machines have a relatively large footprint relative to upright gaming machines, thus decreasing the number of gaming machines that can be placed in a given area on a casino floor. Moreover, the video displays on such slant top machines are not as visible to players as upright machines, resulting in the games not being as visible as slant-type machines.
Thus, there is a need for an improved gaming machine which provides improved player comfort as well as a relatively small footprint to optimize the number of gaming machines that can be placed in a given area on a casino floor and provides increased visibility.
According to a first aspect, the present invention may be a housing for a gaming machine. The housing may include a front housing portion, a pair of spaced apart side housing portions, the side housing portions being non-planar and with converging portions. The housing may also include a top housing portion, a rear housing portion and a bottom housing portion which forms a footprint for the machine a portion of the footprint having a trapezoidal configuration.
According to a second aspect, the present invention may be a gaming machine that may include a housing. The housing may include a front housing portion, a pair of spaced apart side housing portions, the side housing portions being non-planar and with converging portions and a top housing portion. The housing may further include a rear housing portion and a bottom housing portion that forms a footprint for the machine a portion of the footprint having a trapezoidal configuration. The gaming machine may further include a video display associated with the housing and adapted to display video gambling game images, a value accepting device associated with the housing and adapted to receive value to be wagered on an outcome of a video gambling game and a control panel associated with the housing and including a plurality of selection devices adapted to allow a user to control play the video gambling game.
According to a third aspect, the present invention may be a gaming machine that may include a housing. The housing may include a front housing portion, a rear housing portion, a pair of intermediate points disposed between the front housing portion and the rear housing portion and a pair of spaced apart side housing portions, each of the side housing portions having a first side housing portion and a second side housing portion, each of the first side housing portions being disposed between the front housing portion and one of the intermediate points, each of the second side housing portions being disposed between the rear housing portion and one of the intermediate points, the second side housing portions comprising converging portions, the side housing portions being non-planar. The gaming machine may also include a video display associated with the housing and adapted to display video gambling game images, a value accepting device associated with the housing and adapted to receive value to be wagered on an outcome of video gambling game and a control panel associated with the housing that allows a user to control play the video gambling game.
According to a fourth aspect, the present invention may be a gaming machine including a housing. The housing may include a front housing portion, a pair of spaced apart side housing portions, each of the side housing portions having a planar portion and a converging portion, each of the planar portions coupled to the front housing portion and each of the converging portions coupled together and a top housing portion. The gaming machine may also include a video display associated with the housing and adapted to display video gambling game images, a value accepting device associated with the housing and adapted to receive value to be wagered on an outcome of a video gambling game and a control panel associated with the housing that allows a user to control play the video gambling game.
According to a fifth aspect, the present invention may be a gaming machine including a housing. The housing may include a front housing portion, a rear housing portion, a pair of intermediate points disposed between the front housing portion and the rear housing portion and a pair of spaced apart side housing portions, each of the side housing portions having a first side housing portion and a second side housing portion that does not lie in the same plane as the first side housing portion, each of the first side housing portions being disposed between the front housing portion and one of the intermediate points, each of the second side housing portions being disposed between the rear housing portion and one of the intermediate points, the second side housing portions comprising converging portions. The gaming machine may also include a video display associated with the housing and adapted to display video gambling game images, a value accepting device associated with the housing and adapted to receive value to be wagered on an outcome of a video gambling game and a control panel associated with the housing that allows a user to control play the video gambling game.